Aurikku Shuffle
by GlassEmotions
Summary: I put my iPod on shuffle and picked the first 10 songs to do fanfics for. Aurikku fluffyness! COMPLETE
1. Untouched

**A/N: Okay. So I read Micayasha's story where she put her ipod on shuffle and wrote little Aurikku ficlets to them... Well I thought it was awesome, and I wanna do it too!! ^.^ **

**I'm hoping that this will be a good little outlet for me. I haven't written in a while, and I don't know if I'll finish my other stories... They're so noob sounding it makes me cringe! DX**

**So I'm hoping I've grown a little as a writer. I know I've grown as a video maker, and youtube's kinda ticked me off, so now I'm back to fanfiction! Yay? XD**

**So here we go!**

Untouched

The Veronicas

_I just can't resist you  
It's not enough to say that I miss you  
I feel so untouched right now  
Need you so much somehow  
I can't forget you  
I've gone crazy from the moment I met you_

Two days.

It had been TWO DAYS since Auron returned.

And it was all she could do to keep herself from latching onto him and becoming his second skin.

It'd all happened so suddenly, completely out of the blue. The whole group had gotten together on Besaid's lovely beach to celebrate the first day of the week long festival for the sixth anniversary of Vegnagun's demise. And also the third birthday of Tidus and Yuna's first born.

Rikku had been enjoying giving the child her first taste of cotton candy. Watching her eyes light up and then grab for more when it had dissolved in her mouth. It was a truly happy moment in Rikku's normally melancholy life. The two were laughing when suddenly she felt a gloved hand on her shoulder. Thinking it was Tidus she turned around, still giggling. The giggles faded, however, and a gasp took its place. It wasn't Tidus. It was Auron.

And that's when she began to feel like throwing him on the ground and, well.... Doing things a good little Al-behd girl shouldn't even think about.

Now on the third day of the festival she eyed him like a hungry chimera fiend. He was talking with Wakka. About what? Who cares! That was the very last thing on her mind. The first thing on her mind? Well... Man she needed to cool off.

She walked towards an almost deserted part of the beach, and sat where the water would splash on her. Always having a bikini on had its advantages sometimes, huh? She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there, but it didn't seem like a long time until she heard a gruff voice say her name.

"Don't come any closer Auron," she warned. "I can't promise your safety."

"What do you mean Rikku? There's no danger here."

She laughed a little darkly. If only he knew. Turning around, she saw the lights from the festival out and most of the people gone. It was too dark to make out the ones that remained.

She turned back around and stayed silent.

"You've been distant since I came back.... Why?"

Wait. Distant? She had to practically chain herself to a wall to keep away from him. I guess she could settle for distant.

She heard him step closer. "I'm warning you Auron. It's not safe for you."

That didn't slow him down. "Rikku, what's wrong?"

Too close! He was right behind her. She knew she wouldn't be able to hold back much longer.

"Auron," she said in a warning tone. "Don't."

He knelt down behind her. Then she felt it. His hand on her shoulder.

_"Ahhhhhh...... Not good....."_ Her mind screamed at her. She couldn't take much more.

"Rikku." His rough voice never ceased to cause a shiver. "You're the only one here... And you are not dangerous."

And then something in her snapped.

She whirled around, and tackled him with all her might. She threw his cowl and sunglasses off and hovered over his startled face.

"Think again, _Sir _Auron."

Then she kissed him... A lot... And not so gently. She was so lost in the kiss...

That she barely noticed when he started kissing her back.

**_______________________________**

**That was a little longer than expected, but I liked it!!! **

**..... Did you? Please tell me!! :D**


	2. Leavin'

Leavin'

Jesse McCartney

_Why don't you tell him that I'm leavin' never looking back again  
You found somebody who does it better than he can  
No more making you cry  
No more them gray skies_

Well this was a familiar sight.

Rikku, sitting by a campfire. Auron nearby. All the others asleep.

No, they were not still on the pilgrimage. The gang was actually helping rebuild home. Instead of taking up the few decent rooms that were available, they all decided to camp out like old times.

And now Rikku was doing what she used to. Getting advice about life from Auron. But not just about her life.

About her _love _life.

"He just... I don't know. Something's wrong between us," She said while staring into the flames.

"What is it?" Normally he wouldn't be so interested, but tonight.... something was different. He had to figure it out.

"I'm not sure... He just doesn't make me happy anymore. And I catch him flirting with other girls... And I'm pretty sure he gets a kick out of making me cry."

Sudden anger rose in Auron's stomach. "He makes you cry?"

She looked up at him and he could tell by the look in her eyes that he hadn't hidden his feelings very well. But right now he could care less.

"Well... Yeah. Sometimes. But it's no big deal..."

"It _is _a big deal!" Rikku's eyes widened, and his mind told him to be careful. He silenced it and crouched beside her. "Rikku. No real man should _ever _try to make you cry."

She blinked a few times, then looked back to the fire. "It's really not that big of a deal Auron." He tried to speak up, but she kept going. "And _anyway_... I just need to know what to do. He actually is a pretty decent guy. Dad likes him, and so does Brother. He's a really good mechanic, and on good days he does really make me laugh."

Auron took a breath and shifted to face the fire. "And on bad days?"

She sighed. "Well like I said, he tries to make me cry... He flirts with other girls. He makes me want to rip my hair out. And when I'm with him, I don't feel happy. I feel..." her voice dropped as she practically whispered,"lonely."

They sat in silence for a while. Rikku thinking. And Auron trying to sort out the emotions whirling around in his head.

Rikku finally shook her head and asked,"So what should I do?"

"Leave him." He said that so quickly and simply that it even surprised him.

"Wh-what? Really?"

"Yes."

"But... I can't Auron."

"Why not?"

She thought for a long moment before she responded. "What am I supposed to tell him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I have to have a reason..."

As her voice trailed off Auron knew what to do. He cupped her cheek and pulled her face to his. Then very carefully, but with the most passion he could muster, he kissed her. It didn't last too long, but when he pulled away she was left breathless.

"Tell him you've found someone better."

**___________________________________________**

**A/N: I thought it appropriate to end there. How'd you like it? In case you were wondering, the guy they were talking about was Gippal. **

**Mwahahaha. :D**

**AURIKKU FOREVAAAA!!!!**

**.... *ahem***

**Please review me! :D**


	3. Rockstar

_Rockstar_

_Prima J_

_Oh, we got 'em going crazy  
Maybe coz we so amazing  
Everybody in a daze  
And that's the reason why they hating_

Rikku was having trouble keeping a scream of rage inside her.

She and Auron had finally overcome the odds, and become a couple. A good one. No, a _great _one. She couldn't be more happy, and in truth he couldn't either. But this was a rather unhappy moment for Rikku.

They were walking the streets of Luca hand in hand, going to see a blitzball game. Happy time, right? Wrong! Everyone around them kept staring at them! No, not staring... Leering. Yes, they were being leered at. But why?

She'd found out the truth when she'd wandered from him for a moment to "go to the ladies room". She was actually spying on a couple of loud-mouthed old grannies.

_"Did you see Sir Auron?"_

_"Yeah!"_

_"Here with a dirty Al-Behd girl!"_

_"Yeah!"_

_"He should get rid of her! She's going to take him down her own heathen path!"_

_"Yeah!"_

And that's when she'd gotten out of there.

_"So that's what everybody thinks, huh? That's why everyone's staring? What jerks! Who are they to judge??"_

In all her anger, she didn't realize her grip tightening on Auron's hand.

"What's wrong Rikku?"

She snapped halfway out of her thoughts. "Nothing!"

They walked in silence until they got to the line to enter the stadium. That's when the staring really got bad. And guess who was sitting on a bench close to them? The grannies that she'd spied on earlier! And they saw her too, and as soon as they did they started whispering behind their hands.

As if that wasn't enough, they pulled people who walked past them to the side and pointed at Rikku. That earned a glare or two more at Rikku. She was about to lose it.

"_What is going on?! Can't they see how much we care for each other? Why are they acting like this? I can't just sit back and take this!"_

She broke free from Auron's grasp and stomped over to them, and the few people they were entertaining.

"WHAT?!" She yelled and made the grannies jump. "WHY DO YOU KEEP GLARING AT ME?! YES, I'M WITH _SIR AURON_ THE GREAT FREAKIN' GUARDIAN! YES, I'M AL-BEHD! BUT WHY DO YOU CARE??"

Out of breath, she waited for an answer. And, boy, she got one.

"You Al-Behd girls are all filthy whores! What business do you have with him?!"

Rikku resisted the tears that wanted to be let out, and continued to yell. "I don't need a reason to be with him!! I LOVE HIM!!!"

Silence was all around her as what she said resounded in her ears.

"_Crap," _she thought as she spun on her heel and ran in the opposite direction.

Most of the people were already at the stadium, so it was easy to find an unoccupied dock. She found a stack of nice big crates to hide behind. And it was there, that she started to cry. Not only for being called a whore, but also because she was embarrassed. She shouldn't of let those grannies get to her. Auron wouldn't of. These days she was trying to act more mature, just for him. But now she'd blown it. She'd acted like she was five, and she wouldn't blame Auron if he didn't come looking for her. In fact, she wished he wouldn't. She didn't want him to see her like this.

Then she felt a pair of strong arms around her, and she knew that's one wish she wouldn't be getting.

"Go away Auron! Don't look at me!" She tried very lamely to push him away, but it made no difference. He only held her tighter.

She finally collapsed into his arms, and just cried. She cried until her throat felt raw. The entire time Auron just held her tight, and stroked her hair. It was only when her tears became hiccups that he spoke.

"Rikku... What happened?"

She swallowed and snuggled into his chest. "It's just... those old grannies... and everyone else," She hiccupped and cursed inwardly. So much for sounding mature. "They just kept... Glaring at us. And then I heard them talking about us and how I'm so awful--"

"You're not awful," he said in a surprisingly soft tone.

"Well... That's not what they think..." She hiccupped again.

He pulled her face up to look into her eyes. They were still watery and a little puffy, but he thought they were the most beautiful pair of eyes he'd ever seen.

"I don't care what they think, Rikku. And you shouldn't either."

She didn't have the energy to pull her chin out of his grasp, but she cast her eyes to the side anyway.

"I know, but... You deserve a girl that you can walk around with and not be gossiped about..."

"Rikku. They're old women. What else do they have to do with their day besides gossip?"

"I know... But still..."

He sighed. "'But still' is not a good defense Rikku."

She only kept looking away. She couldn't bare to meet his gaze. But he wasn't having any of that.

"Look at me."

When she didn't, he shook her chin ever so gently. "Look at me."

His voice sounded so stern, that she couldn't help but shyly look up at him. The look he was giving her was so intense that it took her a minute to remember how to breath.

"I'll tell you once more, Rikku. I don't care what anyone else says... I only care what you say."

It took her a minute to realize just what he was getting at, and when she did she blushed. "You... You mean... What I said back there...?"

He remained silent, only looked at her with that same intense look that made her want to shrink away and throw herself on him at the same time.

She got out of his arms and stood up. Turning around with her arms clasped behind her back, she swung slightly back and forth.

"_What's going on with me? I've never felt so nervous! I don't even know what to say..."_

She felt him tenderly grab one of her wrists, and couldn't help but turn around.

"Um... Auron... I don't know what to say..." She looked down at her feet.

"Say it again."

She looked up, her eyes big."What?"

He took her other hand in his. "Say it again... Please."

His voice couldn't of pulled at her heartstrings anymore. "Auron... I... love you."

He brushed her hair out of her face and leaned down to her lips. "I love you too, Rikku"

Then he kissed her, and she felt all his love for her in that moment.

And from that day forward, she actually enjoyed the gossip. Because every time she squeezed his hand, he swept her up into a passionate kiss. It may not have exactly _helped _with the gossip.... But it sure did make her happy.

**_________________________________________-**

**A/N: Okay! **_**Rockstar**_** came up and I was like WTF?? I didn't know what to do! But God definately helped me on this one lol And.... I like how it turned out I think. But let me know okay? I'm not entirely sure it make sense because at the moment it's 1:30 AM. **

**So let me know! XD**


	4. Bad Girlfriend

_Bad Girlfriend_

_Theory of a Deadman_

_She's hot, can't stop, up on stage, doing shots, Tip the man he'll  
Ring the bell, get her drunk she'll scream like hell_.

Why does she do this to him?

Ever since her twenty-first birthday she'd been dragging him to every bar in Luca to be her "body guard" so she could drink and not have to worry about being taken advantage of.

Why does she do this to him is a good question, but a better one is why does he keep agreeing?

They had been there for a while now, and she was very drunk. At the moment, she was up on stage screaming at the top of her lungs and getting passed free drinks by practically any guy who saw her. She made many men fall in love with her tonight, of that he was sure. But it didn't matter. She was coming home with him.

A man reached up to touch Rikku's leg, and she dumped her drink on him, cussing very violently in Al-Behd. That was his cue. He hauled himself out of the bar stool he was sitting in and quickly made his way over to her. Pushing the man away, he swept Rikku into his arms and walked out the door.

She was laughing and making whooping sounds, but he ignored it. He was used to it after all.

"Auron, do you _love _me?"

Well that was something he wasn't used to.

He stopped short and looked down at her. She looked up at him, and even in her drunk state she looked like an angel.

"What?"

"Do you _love _me? I love _you_! I wish you would _marry _me!"

His heart flip-flopped, but he started walking again. "You're drunk, Rikku. You don't know what you're saying." He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her that... or himself.

"No! I mean it! I _love _you, Auron. Will you marry me?" She sounded so sure and sincere that he had to stop and look down at her again.

The look she gave him broke his heart. She looked up at him with so much emotion in her eyes but, of course, his mind kept telling him "She's drunk. Don't fall for it."

"Rikku... Go to sleep. If you remember this conversation tomorrow... We'll talk then." He started to walk again.

"I'm going to remember!"

"We'll see."

"I will!"

He grunted in response.

"Well...,"she yawned."Goodnight Auron... Love you..." She snuggled into his chest, and fell asleep.

And he prayed that she really would remember.

**_________________________**

**A/N: Have any of you actually **_**heard **_**this song?? It's not an innocent song at all!! Lol I picked the most innocent of the lyrics that I could... I hope it turned out okay... I'm really not comfortable with writing *gulp* **_**sexual **_**things.... LOL XDDD**

**Please tell me what you think! :D**


	5. Bowling Ball

_Bowling Ball_

_Superchick_

_Maybe he'll change, if you could be better  
But maybe it's not your fault, he's checking out the waitress now  
But someday you'll change, one day you're stronger  
And you will have changed enough that it's time to get out_

_"Maybe no one will notice?" _Rikku sat on a secluded balcony in the Bevelle Temple.

The gang had all come to see about holding Tidus and Yuna's wedding there. Something about it being important to her father. It should of been a happy occasion, and it was. For everyone except Rikku that is.

You see in addition to their beloved group, they'd also brought another. Rikku's "first love" and current boyfriend, Gippal. To start out with, he and Rikku had been so happy. They seemed like "the cute little couple", and Rikku felt lucky. How many other people get to actually have a relationship with their very first crush? But... The happiness didn't last.

Gippal liked to flirt. She knew that before they started going out, but she wanted it to stop. He would flirt right in front of her. And one time he even told a girl that Rikku was his sister. She didn't know how they were still together after that one. She just wanted this to work so badly.

But lately it'd gotten worse.

Rikku didn't know if it was on purpose, or truly an accident like he claimed. But lately, she'd started getting hurt. If she said something he didn't like, he would push her and she would fall into things, or he would grab her really hard until she bruised. Rikku had taken down many fiends, but taking down a human being is completely different. Especially when you care for them.

Now Rikku sat lightly rubbing her right wrist, which had a large hand print on it. She had swapped her normal bikini top in for her old orange t-shirt to hide her bruised ribs. She'd made Gippal angry and he had pushed her into a railing in the temple. She felt lucky no one saw. He apologized, but... She wasn't sure if he meant it or not.

Rikku looked down at her bruise, which was dark purple and clearly in the shape of a hand. Oh how she wished she'd brought some chunky jewelry. Then maybe no one would notice. Perhaps she could try and keep it out of sight? Surely everyone would be too focused on the wedding to notice her little wrist.

While contemplating all of this, she didn't notice someone coming up behind her.

"Rikku?" She jumped and nearly fell off the railing of the balcony, which was probably not the smartest place to be sitting.

"Oh! Auron! Um... Hey." She tried to resume her normal cheery voice.

"Is something wrong?" He started to walk a little closer to her.

"Nope! Nothing at all!" She put her wrist by her side, trying to hide it. And she flashed a big smile.

He didn't seem to believe her, and walked even closer. This made Rikku a little uncomfortable, and she couldn't help but flinch away just a little bit. But it was enough for him to notice. He reached out to touch her shoulder, and that made Rikku flinch even more and start to fall off the railing.

Auron was quick to grab her, but it was around her middle and as he pulled her up she couldn't help but scream in pain. When she was safely on the ground again, she pushed away from him. He was startled by her scream and for once couldn't think of anything to say. After just looking at each other for a moment, Rikku finally got her head back, and laughed.

"Oopsie! Sorry Auron! I'll be more careful next time!" She shot him a dazzling smile.

Which didn't fool him.

He narrowed his gaze, and moved closer to her. "Rikku... What's wrong?"

"Nothing Auron! I already told you!"

As he took steps towards her, she retreated until her back was against the wall. He towered over her.

"Rikku. What happened?" It sounded more like a demand that a question.

She looked up at him, and couldn't help but feel tears sting in her eyes. His gaze stayed hard, but the hardness wasn't for her. He reached out to put a hand on her ribs, but Rikku grabbed it before he could.

"Auron, please don't..." She couldn't look at him, but she felt him stiffen.

"Rikku..." He grabbed her hand gently. "Who did this?"

Her eyes shot up to him. "U-um... I did it. Clumsy me!" She laughed nervously.

Auron fingered her bruise gently, and looked into her eyes. His gaze was soft this time. "Rikku... Who?"

She tried to keep eye contact with him, but it only brought more tears to her eyes. "It... It was Gippal..."

"Excuse me." She felt him let go of her and start to storm off.

"No!" She cut him off. "Auron please don't!"

"He _hurt _you Rikku."

"It was just an accident!"

"He bruised your wrist and your ribs by _accident_?" She could hear the anger in his voice even though he tried to hide it.

She couldn't do anything but grab on to his coat and hang her head. "Auron... _Please_..."

She could almost hear the wheels turning in his head, and it was a long moment before he said anything.

"Well? What are you going to do?"

She looked up at him, her eyes red. "What do you mean?"

"You can't possibly tell me you're still going to stay with him." The anger was back in his voice, and she could only stay silent. "Rikku... has this happened before?" Again, she couldn't bring herself to make words. "Excuse me."

He tried to move past her, but she only held on tighter to his coat.

"Auron, no! You can't hurt him!"

"I'm not going to hurt him."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to kill him." He said that so calmly, and yet Rikku knew it was probably true.

"Auron, you can't. _Please_. Just... Stay with me."

The stars were starting to come out, and she pressed herself against him. He seemed to be processing something, and then tenderly took her in his arms. He sat on a bench that was against the wall, and sat her in his lap. And for the first time in a long time, she felt safe.

It started to get cool out, and she couldn't help but shiver. He noticed, and tucked her into his coat. She wanted to sleep so badly, but her mind couldn't find any rest. That's when he spoke.

"Rikku. You have to leave him."

She stayed quiet. Maybe he would think she was asleep?"

"Rikku. I know you're awake."

Crap.

"Auron," she whispered weakly,"I _can't_..."

"_Yes_. You _can_." She felt his grip tighten around her ever-so-slightly.

"I don't know if I'm strong enough..."

He pulled her up so she would look at him. "Yes you are."

She shook her head and buried her face in his chest, crying again.

He sighed and stroked her hair. "What can I do Rikku?"

She let her tears subside before speaking. "You'll stay with me, right?"

"Right."

"How long?"

He looked at her, so she would know he meant it. "Until the end."

"Promise?" He could see a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I promise," he answered slowly.

She got up. "Then let's leave."

"What? And go where?"

"I don't know... Anywhere!" She bounced excitedly.

He followed her. "That's not a very good plan Rikku..."

"You promised Auron! I may not be strong enough to end this face to face... But I can leave. And if you're with me..." She stepped close to him and grabbed his hands in hers. "I know I'll make it."

He looked at her for a moment, then chuckled.

"Alright. Let's leave."

**_____________**

**A/N: My ipod's trying to kill me. This song isn't romantic at all! Gah....**

**I'm not sure if I like this one or not... It kinda came out in a jumble because I wrote it right before work. And I think the spacing's a little off, so don't kill me. I know!**

**Please review! I like me some feedback! :D**

**3**


	6. Losing Grip

_Losing Grip_

_Avril Lavigne_

_I was left to cry there,  
waiting outside there grinning with a lost stare  
That's when I decided_

_Why should I care?_

It was raining in Luca, and our favorite little theif was sitting alone on a bench. People scurried past her, trying to get out of the rain. Some gave her weird looks, but moved along. The rain was starting to pick up, but she didn't care. She felt empty inside. Lost.

She knew he was back. She'd heard it on the streets. Auron, the legendary guardian, was back from the dead. What a treat! Everyone was so excited! It was cause for a great celebration. But not for Rikku.

She had loved him so much while on their journey. She was constantly by his side. Asking him questions, getting training advice, trying to help him in any way she could. And somehow... she started to feel like he felt the same way towards her.

But she was wrong.

How could he not tell her? How could he not let her know that he was... unsent? That he was going to die? It wasn't fair. If anyone had the right to know, it was her! She cried for months after he was sent. For some reason, she couldn't pull herself together. She couldn't make her usually happy face light up anymore. No one knew what to do with her. Yuna tried to comfort her, but nothing helped. When Auron died... It was like he took her heart with him. She felt empty, and hollow. And there was nothing anyone could do about it.

And now he was back. She should be jumping for joy, right? How does one feel joy without a heart? Although she could hardly feel _any _emotion... One she _could _feel was anger. And that's what she was feeling now. She was angry at him. He _left _her. He _lied _to her. He made a promise to protect her from everything. But who can protect someone from heartbreak? Escpecially when _he _was the one doing the breaking.

Rikku had been out there for a few hours. No one had disturbed her, and she liked it that way. But just as she was thinking that, someone walked up beside her. She ignored them, hoping they would go away. They did not.

"You're going to catch a cold."

That voice... It sounded so familiar.

"I don't care." Even she heard the venom in her voice. She'd hoped it would be enough for the man to back off. It wasn't.

"You should go inside, Rikku."

And then she remembered. Her eyes widened, and her head started to spin. Before she knew it, her anger boiled over and she jumped up taking a defensive position.

"Get away from me!" She was irrational, and he could tell. Thank goodness no one was around to see this.

He took a step forward. "Rikku, please--"

"No! I told you to get away from me!"

He stepped forward.

She lowered her tone to where she was almost growling. "_Auron_. I _mean it_."

That didn't phase him. He only closed the distance between them. At first she started to retreat, but she quickly changed her mind. She went at him and started pounding her fists against his chest. Her fists were starting to hurt, so she knew she probably was doing more harm to herself than to him. That didn't matter though. It was making her feel better. She kept beating against him until she felt her fists start to throb. He could feel her blows getting weaker, and he grabbed her hands so she would stop hurting herself. She tried using her whole body to break away, but to no avail. He was too strong.

"Auron, let me go!" Her voice sounded choked up.

He only pulled her closer. Weakly, she kept jerking every so often to try and get away. One of his arms wrapped around her waist as he pulled her even closer to him. She could only feebly push against him at that point. Perhaps she should of slept last night.

He put his free hand under her chin, and lifted it up so he could look at her eyes. The rain had eased up a little, but it was still enough to give Rikku hope that he couldn't see her tears. As he looked down at her, his heart felt like it was bleeding. He knew he had caused her so much pain... But he was back now. And he was going to make things right.

"Rikku..." he whispered.

"Why?" she burst out. "Why did you leave me Auron?" There were no mistaking her tears now. "You left me here... _all alone_.. How could you?!" She shook her chin out of his grasp, and cried into his chest. He hugged her tight.

"I am _so _sorry, Rikku." His voice sounded husky and firm in her ear. "I _had _to. But I'm back now. And I'm not leaving you. Not again. _Never _again."

She looked up at him again. "Promise me." Her voice cracked in desperation.

He put a hand on her cheek. "_I promise_."

Then he crashed his lips onto hers. It suprised her, but it didn't take her long to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him back. They were both soaking wet and drenched to the bone, but Rikku had never felt so warm. And neither had Auron. Their kiss ended with the promise of many more.

And for the first time in a long time, Rikku smiled.

**____________________________________________________**

**A/N: My ipod HATES ME. The last few songs are not romantic... So I'm going to have to spin them. Like I did with this one! :D**

**I'm very satisfied with this story. I wanted these to all be fluffy and light, but I see now that that is not possible. But hey, this story was good right? I think we can take just a bit of angst. Aurikku does have a darker side, yes?**

**Gimme some feedback, yo! ^.~**


	7. That's Not My Name

**A/N: I had NO IDEA what to do with this song... So I kind of made up my own little universe. They're back in "oldy-times". Back when the biggest problem a girl had to worry about was who she was going to marry. All the girls are taught to conform, but what about those who just can't seem to? That's where Rikku is. So... bear with me. I hope you enjoy! Because it was fun to write! :D**

**_____________________________________________________________________**

_That's Not My Name_

_The Ting Tings_

_Holding back, everyday the same  
Don't wanna be a loner  
Listen to me, oh no  
I never say anything at all_

_But with nothing to consider they forget my name_

A while back Rikku had been taught that men do not like girls who are loud and hyper. And since that day she has stifled her normal loud behavior in order to please her father, and the male population.

But by not being loud and hyper, Rikku didn't know how to act. So that usually ended with her being alone at social gatherings and men calling her by the wrong name. She was getting so frustrated! Why couldn't she just be herself around men? Wouldn't it be better they see it now before they get married or something?

At the moment she was in one of her family's flower gardens. It was her favorite because it was made up of mostly sunflowers. Her orange sundress was blowing in the light wind, and since the sunflowers grew so high, she decided it would be completely appropriate to kick off her shoes and wander through them.

As soon as her feet hit the soft dirt, she felt alive. She started to giggle uncontrollably, and ran through the tall flowers. She let her neat bun down, letting her hair hang free and showing off the few braids she had put in. If her father saw her doing this, he would have a heart attack.

She didn't know how long she'd been out there, but she got the feeling she needed to head back. As she turned around, laughing and skipping, she couldn't help but feel like someone was out there with her. This wasn't the first time this had happened. A few times her cousin had found her like this, and the two would frolic some more before heading inside. Rikku assumed this was just like any other time, so she called out to her.

"Yuna?"

Silence.

"Yunie! Come out and play!" She started to giggle again as she searched through the flowers to find her cousin.

She came to a small section where some flowers had been cut down with what looked like... a sword? Being very interested in weapons, she knelt to examine the cuts. They seemed to be very precise, and the flowers weren't damaged at all. Whoever did this was very skilled with the sword.

"Hello miss."

Rikku jumped and fell over from her kneeling position. The man moved closer and extended his hand.

"I beg your pardon, miss. I didn't mean to frighten you." She took his hand and he hoisted her up.

"No, no!" She cleared her throat and softened her voice. "Um, excuse me... I was just... um..."

Now that she was getting a good look at this man she couldn't help but lose her words. He looked to be in some sort of training outfit. He had a tight black shirt and black pants. Off to the side she could see a large red jacket. She didn't focus on the jacket too much though. No, what she couldn't help but stare at were his arms... and his shoulders... and, well... Did she mention his shirt was really tight?

"Like what you see?"

She snapped out of her thoughts violently. "What??"

He looked at her and chuckled slightly. "The flowers. Do you like them?"

"Oh!" Rikku blushed. "Y-yes! Yes I do very much..."

She looked at her hands and played with her fingers. Who was this man? And why was he in one of her family's gardens cutting down sunflowers? And why was she having trouble forming words and keeping her tongue from rolling out of her mouth? None of this was adding up. While she was thinking all of these things, she didn't notice him come to stand right before her.

"Here you are, miss." He held the most perfect sunflower she had ever seen in her life. She felt her eyes light up.

"It's beautiful!" she practically squealed. She noticed her mistake and cleared her throat again. "Um... I... uh... thank you... sir..."

The man chuckled slightly and took one of her hands. By instinct she tensed up, but as soon as he placed the sunflower in her hand she relaxed. He kept his rough hand on hers for just a little bit longer than was normal. Being a girl, Rikku noticed this and became flustered. Thankfully, he had turned around to retrieve his jacket.

"So what were you doing out here all alone, miss?" he asked over his shoulder.

She started to feel awkward and boring as she answered him. "Um... I was just... I thought it would be nice... Um... I saw a cat..."

By that time he had walked up to her again, which made her even more nervous.

"Stop." His voice was so calm, but commanding at the same time. She stopped immediately and looked up at him with a startled face.

"Wh-what?"

He reached in her hair, and pulled out a squirming bug. You see... Rikku doesn't like bugs. So that would explain the complete spasm that she had. During the course of her spasm, she managed to trip over her own feet and fall to the ground. Only she didn't hit the ground. When she opened her eyes, she found herself pressed against the man's chest. He had saved her from falling to her doom, but he could not save her from her blush melting her face.

"I-uh-mm--"

"You should be more careful, miss." His scolding was very gentle, and she could detect just a hint of a smile in his voice. He released her, and started to walk away.

"Rikku!" she blurted out.

He stopped and faced her. "What was that?"

"My name... My name is Rikku." She looked down at her hands again. He approached her.

"Nice to meet you, Rikku. My name is Auron." He took her hand in his, and placed a gentle kiss on it.

Rikku felt like she'd been struck by an electric bolt and lit on fire at the same time. This man... He was different from all the others. The other men were always tidy and wanted to talk about themselves. This man... He was rugged, and muscular. He was rough, and yet she wasn't afraid. He was a perfect gentlemen to her, but there was something underneath that was completely different... It made her blush even more just thinking about it. He started to clean up the sunflowers he'd cut down. And at that moment she wished that she knew of something to say.

"So what were you doing out here again?" Seems like he's doing that for her.

"Oh! Um... I thought I saw... a cat?" That didn't even convince her. Why couldn't she lie very well today?

"I saw you."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

He turned to look at her, a grin on his face as he chuckled that oh-so-husky chuckle. "I saw you running and laughing. You looked like you were having a good time."

"Oh! My.... You saw that, huh?" She looked away. Great. There goes her fairy-tale ending.

"I did... And I'm very glad I did."

She looked at him, shocked. "What? What do you mean?"

He continued to gather up his mess while he talked. "Too many women these days lose their own personalities just to find a husband. Some woman,"he looked at her,"should just stay how they are." He looked at her for a second more, then turned his attention back to his work.

She mustered up her courage, and moved toward him a little. "Um, Auron?" There was a slight hint of urgency in her voice. "Do you... like quiet girls or... um... girls like me?" Her voice got quiet at the end.

He straightened himself up, and walked over to her. She had, yet again, found a fascination with her fingers and was not looking at him.

"Rikku?" Hey, he remembered her name! She must marry him.

"Y-yes,"she said while still playing with her fingers.

"Look at me."

She peered up at him, shyly.

"Ask me that again."

"Do you... like quiet girls--"

"No," he answered.

She was quiet.

"Keep going."

"Oh... Do you like girl like... me?" She gulped, and looked away.

"No."

Her heart stopped. Great. She had just made a fool of herself.

"Oh... Well excuse me..." She started to turn away, but he caught her hand. She didn't turn around.

"I don't like quiet girls, and I don't like girls _like _you... I like _you_, Rikku." How long can you live when your heart stops beating?

Rikku turned around, slowly. Tears brimmed in her eyes. His gaze softened.

"Rikku... What's wrong?"

"It's just,"she sniffed a little,"you... remembered my name... No one else does..."

He smiled down at her, and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Of course I did, Rikku." he whispered in her ear. "I'll always remember your name."

**______________________________**

**A/N: I know this one was really weird... But did you like it? I thought it was sweet... And I just had to end it there. Everyone can guess what happens to them after this. They get married and live happily ever after! Duh! ;D**

**As always, **_**please**_** tell me what you think! Thanks!**


	8. Hate I Really Don't Like You

**Okay, so I know it's been forever! You have full permission to be mad at me, but please tell me how you think this chapter is! I pretty much hate my iPod for doing this to me... But whatevs. I hope this chapter turned out well! Lemme know! ^o^**

**______________________________________________**

_Hate (I Really Don't Like You)_

_The Plain White T's_

_All I wanted was your  
Love love love love love love  
Hate is a strong word  
But I really, really, really don't like you_

"Rikku, I don't understand!"

"No, Yunie, you don't!"

I was currently almost _running _down the streets of Lucafrom my darling cousin. We had been at a celebration that honored Yuna and all of her guardians, and who randomly shows up after three years?

Auron!

Sir freakin' Auron!

He just frickin' walked up and said hello! No explanation! No apologies! Just a pathetic little hello! Needless to say, that didn't sit to well with me. I stormed off, and Yuna followed me trying to calm me down. Calm down? Yeah. Right.

"Rikku!" Yuna stumbled over her feet. "Slow down!"

"No!" So I'm acting a little immature. Who cares? I think I have a right.

Yuna sighed behind me. "What's the matter Rikku? I thought you'd be happy! Didn't you love him?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and whirled around just in time to have her crash into me. I grabbed her shoulders and held her at arms length.

"Do _not _say that, Yunie!" We were both out of breath.

"But, Rikku..." Confusion whirled in her eyes.

"Yuna," a familiar voice said from behind her. "Leave us, please."

She turned around to see Auron with his eyes on me. As she looked back and forth between us, apparently she made up her mind. With one pleading look at me, she ran back to the stadium. I waited until she turned the corner to send an icy glare at Auron. I turned on my heels and started to walk away, my hair swinging in the wind.

"Stop."

I stopped.

What _the _crap?

I felt him walk up and stand right behind me. I could feel his coat brush my skin.

"Rikku.." His voice rumbled as he said my name. His hand came up to touch my arm.

I spun around, the beads braided into my hair hitting my face. "No! Don't touch me!"

Loathing was burning in my eyes, I could feel it. But I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.

"Rikku..."

"No! You hurt me, Auron!"

"Please just--"

"No! I _hate _you!" I turned my back on him. My heart felt like it was on fire. I thought that after I said that I would feel better... but I only feel worse. He was quiet a moment before he spoke.

"Rikku..." His voice sounded so soft and damaged that I couldn't help but turn around. My heart wasn't on fire anymore. It felt like it had been shot and was now bleeding to death. How could I say that? I'm so stupid!

He began again, but I couldn't look at him. "I'm sorry, Rikku. I should have let you know sooner..." His hand tilted my face up to meet his gaze. "I cared about you so much that... I wanted to keep the pain from you as long as I could. I can see now that it only made it greater... I'm sorry."

His last words sounded so defeated. He dropped his hand and turned around. As he walked away from me I felt a million things at once. My hate for him dissapeared. Longing returned. My love for him returned as well. As he got further and further away I felt sadder and sadder until I just couldn't take it anymore.

"Auron... _Wait!_"

I ran to him. He didn't even get a chance to turn around before I had my arms around him. I cried into his back whispering apologies of my own. He broke my grasp only to turn around and pull me into his own embrace.

"I'm sorry for saying that Auron... I am so, _so _sorry..."

He squeezed me tighter. "Rikku, there's no need to apologize. I understand why you said it."

I looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "I _shouldn't _of said it... I'm sorry..." A whole new crop of tears overflowed and he started to rub my back in soothing circles. When my crying died down he lifted my chin up so he could look into my eyes.

"I hurt you Rikku. I understand your harsh words... But I need to know that you forgive me."

I searched his face before I answered. "Yes... Yes Auron, I forgive you."

For a moment we only looked at each other, not saying a word. Then he smiled. He smiled a true smile, and hugged me tight. I breathed in his scent, and smiled. Auron... _My _Auron was back. Honestly, I don't think it could get any better than this. Nothing could make this better. Nothing at all.

"Rikku... I love you."

Okay. So I was wrong.

I looked at him, stunned. "Wh-what did you say?"

His voice was strong, and his gaze intent. "I love you, Rikku."

I couldn't speak for a few minutes, but I finally found my voice. I laughed. "I love you too, Auron! So much..."

As I pressed myself against his I heard him laugh.

"And you don't hate me?"

I laughed again. "No Auron... I really really really love you."

**_______________________________________________________________________**

**Cheese, right? I know. Tell me if you liked it though! Hopefully it won't be too terribly long till I get the next chapter out...**

**Review! ;D**


	9. Emergency

_Emergency_

_Paramore_

_If you thought I'd leave, then you were wrong  
Cause I won't stop holding on  
So are you listening?  
So are you watching me?_

Rikku watched the pyreflies drift slowly through the air. One never flew the same as another she noticed. She could almost consider Zanarkand beautiful just because of the pyreflies. Only one problem standing in the way of that.

This is where Auron left her.

She didn't know if she could technically say that he "died" here since he was already dead. It made her feel better to say he "left her". If she said he died then it would make her too sad. A person can't help when they die. But if she said he left her, then she had the right to be angry. And Rikku does better with anger than sadness. So that's what she is right now. Angry. Not sad.

Rikku wasn't sure how long she'd been in Zanarkand. She hadn't been keeping count. However, she couldn't keep telling lies to herself. "It's only been a few days" turned into "I haven't been here more than two weeks". But... just how long had she been telling herself that one?

She didn't eat much these days, but her food supply was going down. That didn't concern her though. When she felt like leaving, she'd leave. But not a moment sooner.

As she continued to gaze at the pyreflies in front of her, she noticed they started to float together. The mass of pyreflies got bigger and bigger until they started to outline a form. A bright light came and forced Rikku to shield her eyes. When the brightness died down she peeked around her hands. She couldn't believe what she saw.

There before her stood the man that left her. The man that she unwillingly, yet unashamedly gave her heart to. He took a step towards her, and she pressed her back against the stone pillar. He hesitated before taking another step, apparently thinking something over. Soon he walked slowly towards her.

"N-no... You can't be real... Go away!"

He was close enough to reach out and touch her now. "Rikku..."

"No! Get away from me!" She hit his hand away and kept hitting at him until he grabbed her wrists and held them still.

"Rikku..." His voice sounded just as husky and firm as ever. Could this really be him?

"No... You're not real." She refused to meet his gaze. "You're just some stupid pyreflies playing tricks on me. Or... Or it really has been too long since I've eaten something. You're just a hallucination..."

His grip on her wrists tightened ever so slightly. "No I'm not, Rikku."

Rikku only shook her head in response mumbling the same things over and over, trying to convince herself that she was right.

"Rikku," he said, trying to get her attention. She still mumbled to herself, so he gently shook her wrists and tried again. "Rikku... Look at me, Rikku."

Slowly, she looked up at him with wide eyes. When she finally met his gaze her heart gave a hard, painful thump in her chest. It really was Auron. He was looking at her with so much care and compassion. She saw something else too, but she couldn't dare think it.

"Auron..." She felt herself fall back against the cold pillar. She rested her head against it. All the emotions running through her were almost too much to bear.

He released her wrists to bring her into an embrace. He was surprisingly very warm. She also noticed that he still smelled like Sake. Never did grow fond of the taste, but she would always love the smell. It took her a while to stop shaking, but when she did she looked up at him again and smiled weakly.

"You're really here?"

"I am."

Then she felt him brush his thumbs across her cheeks.

"What are you doing?" she asked, genuinely confused.

He gave her an odd look. "Tears don't belong on a smiling face."

"Wait.... Huh?"

This earned another odd look from Auron. "You're crying, Rikku."

"I am?" She reached up to touch her face. Yep, her cheeks were definitely wet. "Oh... I didn't notice I guess..." She looked down again.

"Rikku... Have you cried at all during the time that you were here?"

"I don't think so... No."

"Wrong."

She looked up at him, quickly. "What?"

"You've been crying ever since you got here."

Rikku strained her brain to try and remember... But she couldn't. She had been in a fog ever since she came to Zanarkand. Heck, she couldn't even remember how long she had been there. How was she supposed to remember if she was crying of all things?

"I... I guess I didn't notice." She played with her fingers while he kept his arms wrapped around her waist. It seemed like he was waiting for her to say something, but she couldn't think of anything _to _say. When that became evident, he spoke.

"Rikku, do you know how long you've been here?"

She continued to play with her fingers. How was she supposed to answer that? She didn't want him to think she was crazy. Who forgets how long they've been somewhere? She almost jumped when she felt one his hands cup her chin and tilt her face up so he could read her face.

"You don't, do you?"

She dropped her eyes to the side.

"Would you like me to tell you?"

She looked at him again. "You've been watching me?"

"Yes, Rikku, I have. I was the one making all the pyreflies dance around you. I thought it would make you smile."

She giggled. "You made the pyreflies dance? That doesn't really seem like a _you _thing to do."

He smiled down at her. "I did it for you, Rikku. Because I wanted to see this." He let his thumb brush against her smiling lips. It lingered there for a moment before he dropped his hands by his sides. "Why did you come here?"

Rikku's smile faded. In thought, she slid down the pillar and pulled her knees up in front of her. It was only a moment later when she felt Auron sit beside her.

"I... I _missed _you. I was okay after a while after... But then Tidus came back three months ago, and I just got to thinking if he could come back, why couldn't you? So after thinking about it for a while, I decided that this place would be my best bet."

"Five months."

"What?" Rikku tilted her head to look at him.

"Tidus came back five months ago. You've been here for two months."

She was stunned. Had it really been that long? She could only let out a choked "oh". Several moments passed before she thought of anything else to say.

"So... You're really back?"

He grunted in response.

"Why?"

"Do you not want me to be?"

"No! I-I really want you to be here!" Her face flushed as she noticed her loud tone. "I was just wondering.. why..."

He studied her for a while, then shifted so he could pull her small frame into his lap. Rikku's face turned very red at the gesture, but Auron didn't seem to mind. He put a hand on the side of her face.

"I came back for you, Rikku." The closeness of their faces and the huskiness of his whisper made her eyes roll back in her head.

"Wh-what?" She managed to refocus her gaze to meet his hard expression.

"I saw you come here, tears rolling down your face. I expected you to leave after a short amount of time... But you stayed. As time went on, I started trying little tricks with the pyreflies to try and make you smile. Weeks passed, and I realized nothing was working. You weren't going to leave. So... Well, you know what I did next."

"How did you...?"

He only looked at her.

"Right. You can't tell me..."

He grunted.

"So..." She made herself be bold enough to look up at him and put a hand on his cheek. "You came back... for me? To... be with me?" Those words were hard to choke out, but once she did she was very glad.

He smiled at her, took her face in his hands and kissed her gently on the lips. When they parted, they let their foreheads rest together.

"Does that answer your question?"

"Y-Yes..." She blushed again at how out of breath she was, and heard Auron chuckle.

"So... You'll come back with me then, Auron?" Rikku's eyes were hopeful.

"No."

Rikku frowned, her hope replaced with despair.

"Not yet, I mean." He smirked a little before kissing her again.

It took Rikku a minute before she realized what he meant. But when she did she giggled into the kiss.

Auron was back. He was coming home with her. And right now, that's all that really mattered to her.

**-----------------------------------------**

***gets on knees***

**I am so sorry it took so long to get this out!! I just really havent' been in the mood to write. I had to force myself to do this chapter. I felt so rusty... So i hope you liked it. Please let me know what you think, of not just this chapter but all my chapters. It will give me the strength I need to crank out the last chapter!! :D**

**Thanks everyone!! *hugs***

**^o^**


	10. Mary

**Okay! So this didn't take that long right? It's only been like a week.... er... Right? XD**

**Well, here's the last chapter! I hope you've enjoyed this story!**

**Please tell me which chapter you liked best! I really wanna know! ^_^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, or any of the songs used in this fanfic! Psh. I wish.... .**

_Mary_

_Saving Jane_

_Little Miss Mary Sunshine had a bad day  
She says it's overrated, living this way_

Sighing, she dropped her jacket on her desk chair. She resisted the urge to plop down on her bed, knowing that she would never be able to get up. Instead, she grabbed her cell and dialed her favorite set of numbers. After the second ring, someone picked up.

"Hello?" a familiar, gruff voice answered.

"Hey," Rikku said in a miserable voice.

"The usual?"

"Yes, please."

A grunt was heard, then a click.

Rikku set her set her phone on her bed, and walked over to her closet. Rummaging through the mess, she picked up her favorite pair of pink pajama pants and a matching oversized top. She dragged herself into her tiny bathroom for a quick, hot shower. Her hair was braided and beyond help so she just left it up, focusing instead on trying to get all the grime off her body. When she was done she dried off as quickly as she could, and dressed in her warm, comfortable clothes. Throwing her towel in her overflowing hamper, she walked out.

"Took you long enough." Rikku looked over to see Auron sitting in the chair where she had recently discarded her jacket. He got up and handed her a coffee cup.

"Hey, it wasn't that long!" Rikku grinned and took the cup from him.

This was one of their things. Rikku would have a horrible day at work. She would call Auron, and he would bring her her favorite drink; a steamer. A steamer is basically frothed milk with your choice of flavored syrup. She was never a coffee person. It was much too bitter for her liking.

Rikku took a sip. "Vanilla!"

"Of course."

"You know me so well."

He merely grunted and said, "So... Are you going to tell me about it?"

At this Rikku finally allowed herself to plop down on her bed. Taking another sip from her heavenly drink, she let it warm her throat before trying to form her horrible day into words. This was another part of their routine. She would think for a while, and he would watch her. He loved watching her think. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head. Finally, she spoke.

"Okay, so I'll start from the beginning." She looked over at him thinking he would say something. However, he only nodded and took a sip of his coffee. "First off, I get there and some stupid machina is going crazy because that new guy I told you about didn't program it right. So he's over crying in the corner, and everyone else it running around like chocobos with their heads cut off. I mean, yeah it's swinging it's arms around and spraying oil everywhere, but we have to stop it or it'll destroy the place!"

At this point she was flinging her arms all over the place to help describe her situation, and Auron was trying not to laugh. He always loved it when she got this riled up over something. She looked so... adorable. Whoa. Did he just go there? Anyway, she was too wrapped up in her story to pay attention to him.

"So I run in there, and I'm dodging the arms and stuff. I get hit by a few oil squirts though, which is what I was washing off in the shower by the way. I climb up on the huge machina beast and it rip out it's vital wires. It was just on the back of it's neck, I don't know why they didn't just jump up and rip it out when it started going haywire..."

"Maybe because they aren't as brave as you?"

Rikku studied him for a minute, thinking about what he said. He shifted in his seat, feeling a little uneasy for an unknown reason. Okay, so it was known. It just was... ignored. Thankfully, she continued with her story.

"Maybe... But as I was climbing down, I slipped on some stupid oil and that's where I got this." She rolled up her pants leg and he saw that she was busted and bruised from the knee down.

He moved over to her side, perhaps a bit too quickly, and inspected her leg. "Is the other one like this too?"

Rikku suddenly found her throat too dry to speak when his hands touched her skin. She nodded, and he gently rolled up her other pants leg. Lucky she just shaved....

He nodded and got off her bed, heading to a random cabinet in her kitchen. She saw him pull out a first aid kit that she had no idea was there, and walk back to her side. Sitting on her bed, he started to fix up her wounds.

"Go on. I'm listening."

Rikku nearly jumped when he spoke, but cleared her throat and continued. "S-So after that... I made sure that stupid new guy was the one to clean all the mess, and I thought that would be the worst part of my day. But I get to my office and I see paper work and dirty machina parts all over it! So I storm out to the secretary's desk and ask her what all that crap was, and she tells me it's Gippal's "leftover work". "Leftover work" meaning he didn't feel like doing it, so he left it on my desk to do it."

"What did you do?" Auron was still busy fixing her up. He began to rub some sort of cream over the cuts on her knees, and Rikku almost choked on her spit. Almost.

"W-Well I knocked down Gippal's door and started yelling, but he wasn't there. So I asked the secretary where he was, and she said he'd called in sick. Can you believe that idiot?! I started yelling that I wasn't going to do his dirty work and he could do it when he got back from being "sick", but she told me that it was all due TODAY."

"How irresponsible." Auron said, disapproval clear in his voice.

"I know! So I work my butt off all day, and I even have to work straight through lunch! I don't take any breaks, and I don't take any calls. I just lock myself in my office, and work for HOURS."

"Did you get it done?" Auron was now bandaging her knees. For a second, he put his hand on the back of her knee. His rough touch to such a sensitive part of her skin made her eyes roll back in her head a little. She blushed at her reaction to such a small act, and she almost forgot to respond.

"Y-Yes... Yeah I did." She cleared her throat, _again_. "I got all of his work done, _and _mine."

"I didn't doubt that. You are very skilled at what you do." When he said this he touched the back of her other knee, causing the same reaction from Rikku and making her blush a little deeper.

"Oh-Uh-Um... Th-thanks Auron!" She beamed at him.

He paused to look at her, raising and eyebrow. Then he turned back to his work. "So, is there more?"

Rikku's eyes clouded over as she remembered. "Yeah... I got on the bus to go home.... After I had _chased _it for three blocks. Then I couldn't find any bus money in my purse, but this nice old man payed for me. I started thinking that maybe this day might not end so badly, but as I sat next to him he tried to feel up my thigh!"

Auron's jaw tightened as he ripped the bandage. He secured it so it would stay in place. "What did you do?"

Rikku could hear him trying to mask his anger. "I let him have it! Socked him right in the jaw. He flew across the bus."

Auron chuckled. "That's my girl."

For some reason Rikku's heart fluttered at that statement. "Well I'm glad I did it... That perv deserved it! But... I got kicked off the bus, and had to walk all the way home. Thankfully, I made it home without further incident and just as the sun was setting. And that's where you come into the story." She smiled at him, and finished off her steamer. She hadn't realized she'd been drinking it.

Auron finished bandaging her up, and looked at her. "Rough day."

"You're telling me..." Rikku closed her eyes and leaned back on her pillows. She placed a hand over her eyes.

They sat in silence for a moment. She could feel Auron studying her, but couldn't bring herself to look at him. She was still feeling a little dizzy from having him actually come in contact with her skin. It's not like they hadn't touched before... But... Wait... Had they touched before? She racked her brain to remember.

"Rikku?"

Her eyes shot open. She'd been so lost it thought that she hadn't realized he'd asked her a question.

"Sorry! What now?"

He gave her a quizzical look, and asked again. "I asked if you were alright. Your face looks a little red... Are you ill?"

"Oh! Um... No! Nope! I don't think so!" She laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head. Then she felt his hand touch her cheek.

"Rikku... You're really warm. Are you sure you're okay?"

She opened her eyes. "I'm-uh... fine."

His face cupped her cheek as he looked into her eyes. The look he was giving her was so intense. She felt like she was drowning, and yet she didn't want to look away. She didn't know how long they stayed like that.

"Rikku..." he whispered.

"Y-yes?" she sounded out of breath.

"Do you have any other wounds I need to take care of?"

"Um... I have a... paper cut on this finger..." _Wow. That sounded dumb._

To her surprise, Auron took her hand gently in his and kissed her papercut without ever breaking eye contact.

"Better?" his voice was still a husky whisper.

"M-Much... Thank you..."

"Any other wounds?"

"Now that you mention it... I did bite my lip earlier today..."

He gave a low chuckle. "Did you really?"

"I sure did..."

"Did you draw any blood?"

"No... A-Almost though..."

"Sounds pretty serious." Their faces started moving closer.

"It is... It still kind of hurts..."

"Well then I probably shouldn't do what I'm thinking of doing."

"What're you thinking of--"

She was silenced by Auron's lips over hers. Once the shock wore off, she eagerly kissed him back. She tangled her hands in his hair, and he cupped her cheek with one hand; the other hand found its way to the back of her neck. Suddenly, he pulled away a little.

"You'll tell me if your lip starts hurting you too much, right?"

"Of course!" Rikku giggled and smashed her lips against his again. She could feel his grin in the kiss, and that only made her giggle more. She could still taste the coffee on his lips.

That's when Rikku had two thoughts.

One, she might could start liking the taste of coffee.

And two, maybe this day wasn't as bad as she first thought.

**------**

**Well there's the last chapter!!**

**So did you like this story? Better yet, which chapter did you like the best? **_**I REALLY REALLY REALLY WANNA KNOW!!!**_

**I don't care if you've never reviewed before, just review this chapter and tell me which chapter was your favorite. I REALLY WANNA KNOW!!!!!**

**And you can expect other Aurikku stuff from me. I would suggest putting me on your alert list if you care to read more of my Aurrikku stories. I doubt I will be posting more than just one shots. In case you haven't noticed, I kinda get side tracked and don't update as much as I should! XD**

**Thanks you guys for reading!!! I love you all!!! :D**


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